Label gumming and dispensing device

ABSTRACT

This device for gumming and dispensing labels comprises a rotary support carrying label-pick-up members, and adapted to cause said pick-up members to register in succession with a gumming cylinder, a fixed magazine containing the labels to be gummed, and a drum adapted to transfer these labels to the articles to be labelled, wherein said label pick-up members consist of cylinders or cylinder portions having a radius considerably smaller than that of the path described by their outermost generatrix during the rotation of said support, the axis of rotation of said cylinders or cylinder portions being off-set in relation to their longitudinal axis by a value determined to permit the rolling of said pick-up member on the gumming cylinder and on the first label of said magazine without slipping, said pick-up members being connected to means adapted to impart thereto a pivotal movement in either direction in relation to their rotary support, as they move past the different peripheral stations for gumming, picking-up and transferring said labels. (FIG. 1).

United States Patent 1191 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 3/1967 France ..l56/568 Tavernier 1 May 29, 1973 LABEL GUMMING AND DISPENSING Primary Examiner.]0hn P. McIntosh DEVICE Att0rne vEric H. Waters. John G. Schwartz and [75] Inventor: Georges Tavernier, Lyon, France Harold N153 [73] Assignee: Societe Nouvelle Baele-Ganglofi, Vil- [57] ABSTRACT leurbanne Fl-ance This device for gumming and dispensing labels com- Filed? 1971 prises a rotary support carrying label-pick-up mem- [211 App}. Nu2 192,967 bers, and adapted to cause said pick-up members to register in succession with a gumming cylinder, a fixed [30] Foreign Application Priority Data magazine containing the labels to be gummed, and a V drum adapted to transfer these labels to the articles to Oct. 30, 1970 France ..7039s95 be labelled, wherein Said label members sist of cylinders or cylinder portions having a radius 52 us. (:1. ..118/220, 118/231, 118/236, considerably Smaller than that of the P described 101/232156/568 156/571 by their outermost generatrix during the rotation of 51 1111.01 ..B05c 1/02 Said Support the axis of rotation of Said cylinders at 58 Field of Search; 118/231, 236, 220, cylinder Partiaaa haiag Off-Sat in relation ta their 118/240; 156/568, 57 0 2 gitudinal axis by a value determined to permit the rolling of said pick-up member on the gumming [56] References Cited cylinder and on the first label of said magazine without slipping, said pick-up members being con- UNITED STATES PATENTS nected to means adapted to impart thereto a pivotal 2 717 711 9 1955 Banks ..11s/231 mOV-emmt either directio inrelatio their rotary 31450591 6/1969 Zodrow ...156 571 Support, as they move P the different Peripheral 3,532,5s5 10 1970 Kronseder et 51.. ....156/568 tians for summing, P v and transferring Said 3,567,559 3/1971 Dullinger ..'..156/571 labels. (FIG. 1).

2 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures PATENIEB HAY29 I973 SHEET 2 [1F 4 FiG.2

LABEL GUMMING AND DISPENSING DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION principle of the so-called rotary labelling.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART A known device of this type consists of a rotary support on which cylindrical label pick-up means are rotatably mounted. Thus, during the support rotation each pick-up member rolls in succession on a gumming strip so as to become loaded with liquid adhesive, then on the first label of a fixed reserve of labels so as to pick up this label and deliver same to a transfer unit.

This known device is objectionable from the dual point of view of gumming efficiency and label pick-up efficiency. In fact, since each pick-up member describes a circular path about the axis of rotation of its support and has a radius or'curvature smaller than that of this path, it is positively precluded to gum this member by means of a cylinder since it would have only a linear contact with this cylinder. Therefore, a gumming strip or belt must be used while so arranging each pick up member that it can move radially on its support and roll on said strip or belt. However, this arrangement cannot ensure a regular gum coating because the pressure exerted by the pick-up members on the gumming strip or belt varies during the gumming operation.

Similarly, to permit the removal of the gummed label and avoid giving a concave surface thereto, the pick up members must be capable of moving radially under the control of return springs. Also in this case the pressure exerted by the, pick-up member on the label varies as a function of the angular position of this member.

The means implemented for producing the necessary radial movement of each pick up member lead to undesired complication of the construction of the device, with a consequent increase in cost, and more particularly these pick-up members have a considerable inertia preventing a high-rate operation of the device.

In addition, the rate of operation of a device of this character is also limited by the time necessary for allowing the liquid adhesive substance to dry, since highproduction rate devices require the use of quick-setting adhesives which cannot be contemplated in the present instance, due to the presence of a gumming strip or belt operating satisfactorily only with slow-setting adhesives.

Under these conditions, this device is ill suited for modern filling machines operating at rates as high as 40,000-labels per hour and requiring a perfect troublefree labelling.

In another known device the rotary support carries cylindrical sectors which, being fulcrumed close to the edges of said support, have a radius, of curvature equal to that of the path described by said sectors. Each pickup member is connected to means adapted, before the label pick-up movement proper, to impart to this member a pivoting movement with a certain time lead in relation to the rotational movement of the support and, when it actually engages the label, a pivoting movement having a certain time lag.

Since the pick-up members have a developed width corresponding to the label width, these members are relatively cumbersome, considering their pivotal movement in relation to the rotary support. Therefore, their number is necessarily reduced on said rotary support.

Although this last-mentioned device is capable of operating at a rate appreciably higher than that of the previously described device, this rate is still moderate in relation to the desired rates of operation. To avoid this difficulty, two or more devices of this type must be disposed around a label transfer member; however, the resulting assembly is morecomplicated, expensive and cumbersome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a device of the type broadly'described hereinabove which is of more compact construction and capable of operating at very high rates.

This device is characterized in that the pickup members cylinders or cylindrical sectors have a radius considerably smaller than that of the path described by their outermost generatrix during the rotation of the support, that the axis of rotation of these pick-up members is off-set in relation to their longitudinal axis by a predetermined value so that they can roll without slipping on the gumming cylinder and on the first label of the label magazine, said pick-up members being operatively connected to means capable of imparting thereto a pivotal movement in two directions in relation to their rotary sjupport,.as they move past the various peripheral stations for gumming, picking-up and transferring the labels.

According to a preferred form of embodiment of this invention the pick-up members are associated with means adapted to retard their pivoting movement in relation to the rotary support, before their engagement with the gumming cylinder, and to accelerate said pivoting movement when they actually engage said cylinder.

With this arrangement, each pick-up member rolls without slipping on the surface of the gumming cylinder and is coated throughout its useful surface with a regular film of adhesive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view from above, with parts in section, of the device;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational and sectional view showing on a larger scale one of the pick-up members and the means for securing and driving same;

FIGS. 3 to 7 are diagrammatic views showing on a smaller scale some of the various positions of a pick-up member during the gumming thereof;

FIGS. 8 to 12 are views similar to FIGS. 3 to 7, showing some of the various positions assumed by one of the pick-up members when picking up a label; and

FIGS. 13 to 17 are views similar to the preceding ones showing some of the various positions assumed by a pick-up member when depositing the label carried thereby onto a transfer drum.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The device according to this invention comprises a fixed disk 2 and a vertical shaft 3 extending through its center. The lower portion of this shaft 3 is connected to means (not shown) adapted to impart thereto a movement of rotation in the direction of the arrow 4 of FIG. 1, the upper portion of the shaft having rigidly secured thereto, for example by means of set screws, a pair of spaced disks, namely an upper disk 5 and a lower disk 6 acting as rotary supporting members. These disks 5, 6 carry the label pick-up members proper consisting, according to the present invention, of cylinders 7 having a radius of curvature r definitely smaller than the radius R of the path Q described by their outermost generatrices in relation to the longitudinal axis of shaft 3 during the rotation of disks 5 and 6. Moreover, as shown more in detail in FIG. 2, each cylinder 7 is rigid with a vertical shaft 8 of which the longitudinal axis X is off-set by a value d in relation to the longitudinal axis Y of said cylinder.

In fact, each cylinder 7 comprises a flange 9 keyed to shaft 8 and adapted to position and center the lower portion of a cylinder-forming socket of which the upper portion is retained an positioned by a crown 10 surrounding said shaft 8. This crown 10 is provided with locking means 12 comprising teeth 13 for rapidly connecting or disconnecting this crown 10 in relation to shaft 8, notably for replacing the cylinder-forming socket with a similar socket of different dimensions, as a function of the type of label to be used.

Shaft 8 is mounted for loose rotation in disks 5 and 6, by means of ball-bearings 14, 15 and carries a pinion 16 keyed to its lower end and projecting beneath the disk 6. This pinion 16 is in constant meshing engagement with a toothed segment 17 mounted for loose rotation by means of another ball-bearings 18 on a pin 19 projecting likewise from the underface of disk 6 in which said pin is secured. Finally, the toothed segment 17 is rigid with a stud 20 carrying a roller 22 adapted to rotate freely thereon. This roller 22 engages a continuous groove 23 formed in disk 2, the lateral walls of this groove acting as cam means to said roller.

Of course, the device according to this invention is operated in combination with a gumming cylinder 24, a fixed magazine or reserve 25 containing labels 26 and a transfer drum 27 adapted to pick-up the labels separately, as delivered thereto by each pick-up member, in order to apply this label to one of the articles to be labelled, notably bottles.

From the foregoing it is clear that each pick-up member is adapted to pivot in relation to disks 5 and 6, in one or the other direction, according to the contour of cam groove 23 engaged by said roller 22.

Thus, when the shaft 3 is driven for continuous rotation in the direction of the arrow 4 of FIG. 1, the pickup member moving towards the gumming cylinder 24 is caused to pivot in the direction of the arrow 28 until it assumes the position designated by the Roman figure 1" in FIG. 1. It will be seen that this pivoting movement causes the operative or useful portion 7a of the pick-up member, shown by a thicker line in FIG. 1 and by a hatched portion in FIGS. 3 to 7. When the pick-up member engages at P the gumming cylinder 24 driven for continuous rotation in the direction of the arrow 30 of FIG. 1, this pick-up member 7 is caused to pivot in the direction of the arrow 32 as shown in FIG. 3. During this pivotal movement the two members assume the positions illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 7.

In these Figures, the operative or useful portion 7a of pick-up member 7 is bounded by radii YA and YB, and the corresponding peripheral surface of gumming cylinder 24 engaged by cylinder 7 is bounded by the radii ZA' and 2B, the reference letter Z designating the axis of rotation of the gumming cylinder 24.

Thus, the pick-up cylinder 7 is caused to pivot according to a law governed by the corresponding roller 22 travelling in the fixed groove 23 and controlling the movement of the toothed segment 17 meshing with the pinion 16 rigid with shaft 8. As a consequence of this pivotal movement and considering the position of the axis of revolution Y of cylinder 7 in relation to its axis of rotation X, and therefore the reduction in the radius XP, that portion of cylinder 7 which engages the point P of gumming cylinder 24 is caused to recede gradually. In other words, the movement of cylinder 7 in the direction of the arrow 32 is compensated by its displacement in the direction of the arrow 33 of FIG. 4, so that a contact is constantly maintained between the two cylinders.

Due to the combination of these two movements, the point P moves gradually to the position shown in FIG. 5, which corresponds to the moment whereat the axes X, Y and Z are coplanar. From this pointand considering the increment in radius XP, the movement of pickup cylinder 7 in the direction of the arrow 32 is compensated by its movement in the direction of the arrow 34 of FIG. 6. Under these conditions, it is clear that throughout the passage of the useful surface of cylinder 7 past the gumming cylinder 24 these two cylinders remain in mutual contact and that, by properly selecting the law governing the pivotal movement of cylinder 7 about the axis X, the pick-up cylinder 7 will roll without slipping on the gumming cylinder 24.

It will be noted that to gum the useful surface 7a of pick-up cylinder 7 as defined by the center angle AYB, the rotary support has pivoted only thorugh a very small angle a, not through the same angle AYB, as observed in case the pick-up member consists of a cylindrical segment having the same radius as the circular path Q of the support on which it is pivotally mounted.

When the pick-up cylinder 7 is no more in contact with the gumming cylinder 24, it continues its pivotal movement in the direction of the arrow 32 until its useful or operative portion 70 has a certain lead, as shown at II in FIG. 1. Then, when the cylinder 7 engages with the rear or trailing edge of its useful or operative area 7a the first label 26 contained in the magazine 25, it is rotatably driven about the axis X in the direction of the arrow 28 and occupies in succession the positions illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 12. Let us designate with the reference letter T, in these Figures, the point of contact or tangency of cylinder 7 with label 26, it will be seen that the radius XT decreases gradually to its value shown in FIG. 10 which corresponds to the difference between the radius of curvature R of cylinder 7 and the off-set distance d, and then increases again, also gradually. As a result this off-set enables the useful portion 7a of cylinder 7 to roll without slipping on the label 26 although the latter is not flat, so as to pick-up the label under the best possible conditions.

When the cylinder 7 has picket up the label 26 and as it travels with its rotary support revolving in the direction of the arrow 4, it still pivots in the direction of the arrow 28 about the axis X and this pivotal movement is discontinued only when the cylinder has attained the position III of FIG. 1. Then the cylinder 7 is pivoted in the opposite direction, i.e. in the direction of the arrow 32, and moves past the transfer drum 27 and through the various positions shown in FIGS. 13 to 17.

These Figures show the manner in which the guide combs 35 engage the circular grooves 36 formed in cylinder 7, pick up the gumnied label 26 carried by this cylinder and direct same to the transfer drum 27. These Figures further show that also in this case the pivotal movement of cylinder 7 about its axis X is so adjusted that the label is transferred under the best possible conditions.

When the label ends leaves the pick-up, cylinder 7 it is retained on the transfer drum 27 by a suction device 28, i.e. an orifice connected to a source of pneumatic vacuum. Of course, any known and suitable means, such as clamps or pliers, may be used for subsequently picking up the label and applying same to an article to be labelled, notably a bottle. However, these means are not shown and described herein as they are no part of this invention.

Finally, when the pick-up cylinder 7 is moved away from the transfer'drum 27, the cam groove 23 is caused to move the roller follower 22 laterally, so that through the meshing engagement of toothed segment 17 and pinion 16 the shaft 8 is caused to pivot in the direction of the arrow 28 and restores the aforesaid cylinder to the positionshown at l in FIG. 1. In other words, the leading edge of its useful or operative surface 70 has a certain lead and is ready to engage the gumming cylinder 24.

From the foregoing it is clear that the device according to the present invention is capable of performing a labelling operation in a reliable, trouble-free manner and under the best possible conditions of operation. Moreover, due to the relatively small dimensions of pick-up cylinders 7 and also to the reduced space necessary to permit their pivotal movements, it is possible to provide a greater number of these cylinders on a same rotary support, for example 8, and therefore to increase the production rate of the device. On the other hand, as'the mass of each cylinder 7 is considerably lower than that of the segments utilized in conventional machines of the same type, its inertia is reduced appreciably and more frequent and sudden reversals of its direction of motion can be produced, thus affording higher rotational speeds of the rotary support, and therefore still higher rates of operation.

Finally, although the pick-up members have been described and illustrated herein as having a substantially or general cylindrical configuration, it will readily appear to those skilled in the art that this choice was dictated only by reasons of convenience to facilitate the understanding of the principle of operation of the device, for other shapes may be used without departing from the scope of the invention; thus, these pick-up members may have the shape of a cylindrical segment corresponding in peripheral length to the length of the label to be applied.

What is claimed as new is:

1. Device for gumming and dispensing labels, of the type comprising a rotary support carrying label pick-up members and adapted to cause said pick-up members to register in succession with a gumming cylinder, a fixed magazine containing the labels to be gummed, and a drum adapted to transfer these labels to the articles to be labelled, wherein said label pick-up members consist of cylinders or cylinder portions having a radius considerably smaller than that of the path described by their outermost generatrix during the rotation of said support, the axis of rotation of said cylinders or cylinder portions being off-set in relation to their longitudinal axis by a value determined to permit the rolling of said pick-up member on the gumming cylinder and on the first label of said magazine without slipping, said pick-up members being connected to means adapted to impart thereto a pivotal movement in either direction in relation to their rotary support, as they move past the different peripheral stations for gumming, picking-up and transferring said labels.

2. Device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pick-up members are associated with means capable of retarding their pivotal movement in relation to said rotary support, before they engage said gumming cylinder, and of accelerating their pivotal movement when they engage said gumming cylinder. 

1. Device for gumming and dispensing labels, of the type comprising a rotary support carrying label pick-up members and adapted to cause said pick-up members to register in sucession with a gumming cylinder, a fixed magazine containing the labels to be gummed, and a drum adapted to transfer these labels to the articles to be labelled, wherein said label pick-up members consist of cylinders or cylinder portions having a radius considerably smaller than that of the path described by their outermost generatrix during the rotation of said support, the axis of rotation of said cylinders or cylinder portions being off-set in relation to their longitudinal axis by a value determined to permit the rolling of said pick-up member on the gumming cylinder and on the first label of said magazine without slipping, said pick-up members being connected to means adapted to impart thereto a pivotal movement in either direction in relation to their rotary support, as they move past the different peripheral stations for gumming, picking-up and transferring said labels.
 2. Device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pick-up members are associated with means capable of retarding their pivotal movement in relation to said rotary support, before they engage said gumming cylinder, and of accelerating their pivotal movement when they engage said gumming cylinder. 